Journalists attacked, media offices vandalized in Nepal

Assailants
stormed the premises of Nepal Republic Media, a media company in the capital,
Kathmandu, on December 20, 2012, attacking journalists and vandalizing the
offices, according to news reports. Police arrested several of the attackers, who
have identified themselves as members and supporters of the rightwing Shiv Sena
Nepal party.

News
accounts reported
that the attackers were angered by unspecified photos published in Shukrabar that they deemed offensive and
sexually explicit, but Nepal told
the Kathmandu Post he believed
the attack was in reprisal for a story published that day in Shukrabar that alleged misuse of
property belonging to the late King Birendra Shah.

Nagarik, Republica, and Shukrabar have been able to continue publishing.

News
accounts reported that police
arrested several attackers, including Madhav Prasad Bhandari, general secretary
of the Shiv Sena Nepal party. Police officials said they are investigating the
attack and will detain the assailants for a week before deciding what charges
to file against them, the reports said.